Reformation to Re-formation

Friday, March 17, 2017

Jim Davis - Florida Catholic

In this Oct. 31, 2016 photo, Pope Francis arrives at Malmo International Airport in Sweden for his apostolic visit to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

MIAMI | In a biblical-level irony, a historic rupture in
Christendom — the Protestant Reformation — is being used by South Florida
Catholics and Lutherans to work and pray for unity.

Oct. 31 will mark the 500th anniversary of the day
in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed 95 theses onto the door of the castle church
in Wittenberg, Germany, challenging the authority of the Church. From that date
flowed a host of conflicts, by word and weapon alike, and major divisions that
persist to this day.

But leaders on several levels — even up to the
Vatican — have been working for understanding and reconciliation. And their
talks have led to plans for big-scale events in South Florida as well as
elsewhere.

Ecumenical leaders on both sides hope Reformation 500, as it's being called, can
help heal divisions between the communities.

"We're
trying to use 'commemoration,' not 'celebration,'" said the Rev. Walter
Still, chair of the observances for the Florida Bahamas Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. "We can never celebrate something
that divided the church. From that, we can see how to go in a positive way to
re-form the church."

Echoing the sentiments was Father Pat O'Neill,
director of the Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Ministry for the
Archdiocese of Miami.

"We hope our people will become more aware of the commonalities between
Lutheran and Catholic prayer, dialogue and social action," Father O'Neill
said. "We hope the events will provide new enlightenment to people, and
give an opportunity not just to mark the anniversary, but celebrate it by being
involved."

Reformation 500 plans were first announced in an
October letter by two chief shepherds in Florida: Archbishop Thomas Wenski of
Miami and Bishop Robert G. Schaefer, outgoing head of the ELCA synod, based in
Tampa.

"All human history is filled with lights and
shadows. Thus this occasion is particularly poignant," reads the joint
letter, issued under the coat of arms of both bishops. "But observed
together, hopefully we can deepen our ecclesial relationships and our mutual
love for Jesus Christ."

Launched in Lund

In a
watershed moment, Pope Francis joined leaders of the Lutheran World Federation Oct.
31 in Lund, Sweden, to launch the Reformation 500 year.

"We Christians will be credible witnesses of
mercy to the extent that forgiveness, renewal and reconciliation are daily
experienced in our midst," the pope said during the prayer service in the
Lutherans' Lund cathedral, according to Catholic News Service.

In this Oct. 31, 2016 photo, Pope Francis embraces Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan, president of the Lutheran World Federation, during a joint prayer service at the cathedral in Lund for the pope's apostolic visit to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

For the
archdiocese, Reformation 500 events are being coordinated by St. Thomas
University in Miami Gardens through its Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue.
It's a fitting role because Luther was an Augustinian — the same order that founded the
university.

"There has
been a pretty
ugly history of denominationalism and sectarianism in this country," said
Father Elias Bouboutsis, director of the ecumenical center. "So for a
local congregant to see other churches not as competitors or aliens, that's
really important. We can see (religious communities) as a mosaic, not phalanxes
of different armies."

It's ironic also that what is commonly called the
Reformation didn’t lead to one — instead, it split European Christendom,
resulting eventually in today's 9,000 Protestant denominations. But reforming
the Church, not forming a new church, is what Luther intended.

There was much to reform in the 15th century,
modern church leaders acknowledge. For Luther, the starting point was the sale
of indulgences: money for remission of temporal punishment of sins, often used
to raise funds for projects like the Crusades.

Over the years, he broadened his critique to
matters like papal authority, the Church's teaching on the sacraments, and the
right of the hierarchy to interpret scripture. Rhetoric escalated on both
sides, and he was excommunicated in 1521.

But his movement spawned others. John Calvin and
his followers founded Reform Christianity in Switzerland. Around Europe,
Anabaptists formed their own interpretation of the faith. And Henry VIII
declared himself the head of the Church of England, a rift with Rome that
finalized under Queen Elizabeth I.

A 'singular event'

The
Catholic Church doubled down with the 16th century Council of Trent reaffirming
the sacraments and the authority of both scripture and Church tradition. But it
also curtailed some of the worst abuses of Luther's time.

Still,
Catholics and Protestants remained opponents, a condition that persisted until
the landmark Second Vatican Council of 1962-65. Among Vatican II's findings,
one of the most electrifying was that non-Catholics were not enemies but
"separated brethren."

Russell
Meyer, the ecumenical representative for the Lutheran synod, praised Vatican II
as "a singular event in human history. Never before had such a large
number of leaders gathered from across the globe. And it was not just in-house —
the working groups had the participation of observers including Protestants,
Muslims, Hindus, Jews. It was not only the Roman Catholic Church speaking to
itself, but speaking to the world."

A major breakthrough came in 1999 as top Lutheran
and Catholic leaders signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of
Justification, with world Methodist leaders also ratifying it in
2006. The 7,700-word statement overturned centuries of misconceptions, in which
Protestants accused Catholics of working for salvation, and Catholics accused
Protestants of shirking spiritual responsibilities.

"By grace alone, in faith that Christ's saving
work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and
receive the Holy Spirit," the document reads. It adds, however: "The
working of God's grace does not exclude human action … we are called to
serve."

Meyer
quoted a footnote to the 1999 statement by Pope Benedict XVI. "He said
that the importance of the work is to stand in the street together and proclaim
the gospel for today in a language that the world can understand. We have to
stop reading the Bible against one another and start reading it together for
the sake of the salvation of the world."

Some issues have thus far eluded agreement. For
Father Pat O'Neill, the main archdiocesan ecumenist, the biggest matter is the
"succession of Peter in ordination. Rome is very insistent on tracing its
authority from Peter. Many issues come off of that, like authority and
practice. But that's key."

Rev. Still on the Lutheran side agreed, calling
it "matters of authority and sacramental theology" that affect views
of ordination. But he was optimistic for a resolution because the ELCA already
has "pulpit and altar fellowship" with many Protestant bodies, including
Methodists, Presbyterians and Episcopalians.

Remaining
differences

Other matters of Catholic-Lutheran division
include:

The essence of the Eucharist. Catholics say the
consecrated bread and wine "transubstantiate" into the body and blood
of Jesus. Lutherans believe that Jesus dwells "in, with and under"
the Eucharistic elements, but decline to specify how.

Male-only clergy. ELCA has not only women pastors
but women bishops — including the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, the denomination's
presiding bishop since 2013.

Moral issues like abortion and gay marriage. ELCA
is more liberal on both matters than the Catholic Church.

Father O'Neill agreed that some questions still
resist resolutions. But he remained optimistic, not only through faith, but
also through some visible signs of cooperation. One, he said, was a
Lutheran-Catholic group that visits the Camillus House homeless shelter in Miami
twice a month.

"The
observance of the anniversary is one clear sign of God's grace," he said.
"The Spirit of Jesus is bringing us closer to communion."

Rev. Still, the Lutheran ecumenist, agreed that mission
work helps. "I think Christ is
always calling his church to mission. Our world is in a state of division, and
it's looking for a place where they see unity happening. I feel that Jesus has
gone ahead of us in all our work."